Some people know and some don’t know that here in WV we got hit with some pretty bad flooding in central WV. There are thousands of people without homes and (by last count that I saw) 24 deceased. From the reports, some towns have been completely wiped off the face of the earth. While this is very sad, I wanted to focus on what a few members of my community did starting the day after the flooding began.

There is a business here called Tannerman’s. It is a small business that was started about 14 years ago, if I remember the story correctly. The business owner has a big heart and he really has shown it. Travis Bishop, helped to organize donations and relief trucks and trailers to take the supplies down to the areas being flooded. I had been busy working that day and had no idea what had been going on in my state or my community. Paul, one of Tannerman’s employee’s, and a friend of mine hit me up on FB Messenger and asked me to help get the word out. I was shocked to see the initial flooding that I saw in the pictures. I must have spent 20 minutes looking at all the pictures that were posted and reposted by Tannerman’s and Eastern Panhandle Working Fires. I reposted to my church group and then started texting friends that I knew would be interested in helping out.

Now, I was amazed and impressed with the response from the Berkeley County community. On Friday after the flooding started 3 pickup trucks towed 3 trailers down to the Clendenin, WV area. Saturday 2 more trucks and trailers went and then on Sunday another truck and trailer went. After that, I lost track. I know other supplies have been collected and taken down and are still being collected. I took something over today. Part of the sales floor was covered with cases of water, trash bags, cleaning supplies, and many other things.

This is how a community comes together, this is how a community builds the ties that will bind it together and help it work through it owns problems. It is the type of activity that shows how much we care about our fellow man and that we are willing to help out.

Another friend of mine took his Boy Scout troop down to one of those communities hit by the flooding and they cooked and served breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a whole Saturday. This is service on a level I have not seen for some time. Service that makes me proud that I participated and proud on my friends and neighbors here in Berkeley County!

I was listening to MacBreak Weekly 263 this week as the gang talked about the Apple TV Rumors that have been floating around. If you haven’t heard, the most current is that Apple is developing an TV. Yes, like Samsung, Philips, Sony, Vizio, and others. While this is not impossible, I am having a hard time seeing the vision.

What I do see, is possibilities.

An Apple TV that is a “TV” would have to be more than just a media box like the 1st and 2nd versions of the Apple TV. I think this device would have to be a media center or iTunes Server. We know that Apple can make beautiful displays and fantastic hardware. My vision is that this iTunes Server would need to have a few things to make it work. It would need to contain a very large hard drive, Seagate recently announced a 4Tb hard drive, and the ability to update the software and hard drive. The rest of the hardware might stand the test of time or need to be upgradeable over time. That is the problem, it doesn’t fit Apple’s model. Not only that but FaceTime Hd camera would have to be capable of upgrades also.

I understand where people want this to go and I have seen the videos’ of Alan Kay’s visionary tablet and Apple’s knowledge navigator. I also ‘see’ how AirPlay is making some of the sharing possible with a combination of Apple devices. My first thoughts and impressions are that they will be making a 3rd generation Apple TV that will allow and manage the ‘Cord Free’ connecting and syncing between iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. My vision is 2 devices, one that has a large hard drive and one that is like the 2nd generation Apple TV. My other feeling is that they are working with TV manufacturers to get AirPlay working on TVs. This could work as a widget or as an always on service running and ready to receive streams.

I really see a new Apple TV being an iTunes Server … I know I have said it a few times already. It is the only thing that make sense to me.

Today (2011.08.12), I was listening to Triangulation from TWiT.tv and working on my next quote post when I saw that David Grossman posted a little Follow Friday love on Twitter. I was first surprised and then grateful that he recognized me as someone to follow. You can find more information about David and his company The Grossman Group.

The reason that I posted this comment is 2 fold. 1st, David always has something interesting to share when he posts on Twitter and 2nd, Triangulation is a NetCast of interviews with different leaders, such as:

Dr. Miguel Nicolelis

Kevin Kelly

Gordon Bell

Chris Anderson

John “Capn Crunch” Draper

Cory Doctorow

Bob Heil

Stephen Wolfram

Jeri Ellsworth

Michael Geist

Warren Spector

I hope that you find interesting and useful information from both of these sources.

iron wil

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As some of you have realized I have been really silent this year as I have been working on other projects and trying to decide what direction to head in next. I have been working on this site/blog for a few years now and have come to realize that it has to much competition from great sites like TUAW, Engadget, Ars Technica, Cult of Mac, and Boy Genius Report.

I feel like it is time to move on to my other ideas. Please realize that from time to time I will be back for technology, a new poem, or something else that belongs in this section of my website. I will be taking down some pages and moving other things around. The bulk of the content will remain in place … one never knows when a link will be needed.

If you want to see what I am up to every so often you can find me on Twitter at ir0nw1l and on QuoteMyT.